Office



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

M. R. JEWELL.

FILE BOX.

No. 421,078. Patented Feb. 11, 1890.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. R. JEWELL.

FILE BOX.

Patented Feb. 11,1890.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAJOR ROMEYN JElVELL, OF ROCHESTER, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE OFFICESPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME ILACE.

FILE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,078, dated February11, 1890. Application filed August 17, 1889. Serial No. 321,131. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, MAJOR ROMEYN J Ew- ELL, of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inFile-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those file boxes or trays in which the movablefollower or pressure device is employed to hold the sheets or papersagainst the bottom or the end of the box.

The improvements are intended more particularly for use with thosereceptacles made in the form of shallow trays or drawers, in which thesheets are laid horizontally; but they are also applicable to someextent to the narrow file-boxes in common use, in which folded papersare placed on end.

The invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of thefollowerboard or pressure device and to the construction and arrangementof the tray, so that it may be supported when withdrawn from the cabinetin position to admit of the papers being examined by turning them to theright or left.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my trayas used in connection with the case or cabinet in its preferred form.Fig. 2 is a perspective View, partlyin section, showing the device forsupporting the tray when withdrawn from the cabinet. Fig.3 is aperspective view of the trayin another form. Fig. at is a perspectiveview of the follower. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the plate by whichthe follower is held and guided. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on theline 1) m of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section showing the guide orsupport for the follower.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the tray or receptacle, and D acase or cabinet provided with suitable openings, permitting the tray tobe inserted and withdrawn horizontally at the front. The tray ispreferably constructed in the form shown in Fig. 1, consisting of abase-board a, a front board a, adapted to close the opening at the frontwhen the tray isshoved home to its place, a vertical wall a along theleft-hand side from front to rear, and a vertical wall (1, across therear end." It will be observed that the tray thus formed is open at thetop and on the right-hand side, and this for the purpose of allowing thesheets to be laid lengthwise thereon and of their being examined byturning upward to the left.

In order that the tray may be sustained at the front of the cabinet, asshown in Fig. 1, to permit convenient examination of its contents, Iattach to the inside of the case, as shown in Fig. 2, a plate orprojection a overlying the right edge of the base-board a near the frontof the case. The baseboard is extended both to the right and in rear ofthe rear wall a thus allowing the plate to rest thereon withoutinterfering with the inward and outward movements of the tray. When thetray is drawn outward, it rests upon the supporting ledge or shelf a andbeneath the plate a in the manner plainly shown in Fig. 2.

In cases in which it is preferred to have the papers turn forward towardthe operator instead of having them turn to the left, the tray will beconstructed, as shown in Fig. 3, with an open rear end, side walls a onthe right and left, and a front wall a, adapted to close the opening inthe cabinet.

lVithin the tray or receptacle, whatever its form, I arrange thefollower or pressure device B, mounted on the vertical guide 0, fixed onthe tray. This guide may be located at the left side of the tray, asshown in Fig. 1, or at the front, as shown in Fig. 3. The follower isformed from a single piece of steel or other strong elastic wire doubledor bent upon itself to form a wide triangular end I), the two ends beingbrought together in a shank b, then separated and bent to form lateralarms or finger-pieces b and finally bent to the angular form shown at bb 1), whereby it is adapted to clasp or embrace the edges of thevertical guide. The shank b may be formed by twisting the two'ends ofthe wire together, as shown in full lines, or by the application of ainetal clasp around the same, as shown in dotted lines.

The plate or guide C has its upper end 0 Ioo lower end is bent forward,as shown at 0 and provided with holes 0 to receive fasteningscrews.

The wall of the receptacle is provided in the inner face with twovertical grooves a and the plate is fixed firmly in position between andpartly across the vertical grooves, its teeth being seated in the upperedge of the receptacle, while its flange c is screwed to the bottom. Thearms b of the follower are extended into the grooves past the edges ofthe plate 0, so as to engage behind the latter, as plainly shown in thedrawings. Thus inserted, the arms connect the follower to the box, so asto prevent it from shifting, while at the same time their form is suchthat they permit the follower to rise and fall within the receptacle,and when lifted to tip backward be: yond or outside the receptacle, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and full lines in Fig. (5. hen;

the guide holds the follower down in place upon the papers beneath it.lease the follower it is only necessary to lift its end adjacent to theguide, which may be conveniently accomplished either by taking hold ofthe arms U or byinserting the finger beneath it.

Owing to the angular form of the arms b and b and the manner in whichthe grooves are formed at the top, the follower is not only permitted toturn outward when raised, but is supported firmly in position as shownin Fig. 3, so that it serves as a restto supportthe upturned sheets, andas a guard to prevent them from falling out of the receptacle.

I commonly construct the follower with its active or outer end bentslightly downward, so that as its connected end is pressed downward thefollower is put under tension, so that it acts with an elastic oryielding pressure upon the papers. It becomes, in effect,a spring, bywhich the papers are held down firmly on the bottom of the receptacle.

\Vhile I have represented and prefer to employ a follower of triangularform, it is to to be understood that it may be modified in form providedit is of suitable size and shape to afford a wide or extended bearingupon the paper. By bending its corners clownward it is caused to actupon the papers near the open edge of the tray, so that they are heldsecurely in place and prevented from escaping although the tray may beoverturned or placed on edge.

If preferred, the teeth on the upper end of the guide 0 may be dispensedwith and the horizontal portion 0 provided with a depending tongue 0having its edge curved, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and adaptedOwing to this fact, any resistance under or upward pressure against thefollower causes it to lock with frictional effect firmly upon the guide.In other words,

In order to lG-I to enter a slot in the upper edge of the recep' tacle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a file-box,the combination of the box or receptacle, a guide-plate C, fixedthereto, and a spring-follower or pressure-arm B, having one end adaptedto embrace, slide upon, and frictionally engage the guide and theopposite end arranged to act upon the contents of the box.

2. The combination of the box or receptacle, a guide-plate C, attachedthereto, and a follower or pressure device 1 having one end arranged toslide upon and engage the guide and the opposite end expanded laterallyto bear upon the sheets or papers at widely-separated points.

3. In a file-box, the combination of the box or receptacle, aguide-plate 0, attached thereto, and a spring-follower or pressuredevice B, having one end arranged to slide upon and frictionally engagethe guide and the opposite end expanded laterally and curved to bearupon the sheets or papers at widelyseparatod points.

4. The combination, in a tile-box, with a guide plate or bar 0,01"; thefollower or pressure device consisting of the single piece of wire bentupon itself to form the expanded portion and secured together, the saidwire having its ends bent into angular form and adapted to engage andslide on the guide, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the box or receptacle provided with grooves a),the guide-plate C, having the outwardly-turned upper end, and thepressure or follower device B, having the angular ends to embrace andengage the guide-plate, whereby the follower may be locked down inposition or sustained in an upright position to maintain the upturnedsheets.

6. The box having the vertical groove therein, in combination with thefollower or pressure device and the guide-plate on which the followerslides, said plate having its upper end turned outward and finally bentdownward and seated in the edge of the box, whereby the plate is held inplace and the required movement of the follower permit-ted.

7. In combination with an inclosing case or cabinet, theforwardlysliding tray or receptacle having a front wall adapted to closethe front opening in the cabinetand having at one side a guide providedwith a follower or pressure device 1-3, arranged to turn upward afterthe tray is drawn forward in a plane at right angles to the path inwhich the tray slides.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 11th day of July,1889, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

MAJOR ROMEYN JElVELL.

Witnesses:

CARL BUEDINGER, Faun. II. Mu'rscnLm-t ITO

